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John James Fick

Private, Somerset East Town Guard and
Corporal, Somerset East District Mounted Troop – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal to 141 Pte. J.J. Fick, Somerset E.T.G.

John Fick was a born “died in the wool” resident of the Eastern Cape. His family have farmed in Somerset East since time immemorial and are still on the land to this day.

Born in 1879 he was the son of Christian Fick and his wife Susanna Jacoba Fick (born Wilken). As has been mentioned the family were of farming stock, the principal pursuit in a small rural community. Mr Fick himself ended his life as a Gardener.


Fick in his old age with his wife and grandchild

The rural Cape wasn’t initially in the firing line when the Anglo Boer War commenced on 11 October 1899. It was only after the first phase of the war had come to an end with the surrender of the Boer capitals of Bloemfontein and Pretoria that the Boers resorted to Guerrilla tactics in an effort to keep their war effort going and their slender hope of victory alive. Boer Commandos and raiding parties infiltrated the Eastern and Southern Cape in a concerted effort to find a way to the sea. Whilst en route they tried to enlist the support of any Boer sympathisers they met to their cause.

This roused the sleepy locals from their torpor and led to the creation of various Town Guards and District Mounted Troops in the region. The Town Guards were brought into being to do exactly as their title implied – to protect the good citizens of the town and their property from any marauding Boers who might come their way. The D.M.T. on the other hand, were a mounted outfit and more adventurous in that they patrolled outside the towns and were more likely to encounter Boer foraging parties.

Fick was one of those rare men who served in both – initially attesting for service with the Somerset East Town Guard on 20 February 1901 as a Private with number 141 he spent the better part of four months and more with them before transferring to the Somerset East District Mounted Troops with number 83 where his leadership qualities were recognised with a promotion to the rank of Corporal. As has been alluded to the D.M.T. chaps seem to have had more of a war than their Town Guard compatriots and there are various references in the histories of the Boer war and in newspapers of the period that make mention of them.

The Lancashire Daily Post of Friday October 4, 1901 stated that,

“The Somerset East District Mounted Troops went out on the night of the 1st instant, and following up the spoor of Smut’s scouts, captured five men on the morning of the 2nd instant. The patrol covered 50 miles.”

Buy it wasn’t always in a favourable light that the men were cast…

Davitt referring to an incident, two weeks later, where members of the Somerset East D.M.T. surrendered in late 1901 had this to say,

“On the 16th of November, the British press published a despatch from Reuter of a letter from Middelburg, Cape Colony, dated October 25, which contained this account of some British Colonial fighting:

"On the 13th inst. about 200 men of Smuts' commando, under Van der Venter, Karsten, and Botha, attacked a post at Doornbosch, near Somerset East, held by about 50 men of the Somerset District Mounted Troops. Captain Thornton, of the Cape Police, with 130 men of the same District Mounted Troops, went to the relief of the place, but were unable to prevent its surrender after a very feeble resistance. In his report Captain Thornton states that he took up a fairly strong position and was confident of holding his own, but the men under him having fired off most of their ammunition when the enemy was over 2,000 yards away, refused to fight on the nearer approach of the Boers, saying they would be shot if they did, and incontinently surrendered, only one man being slightly wounded.

Thus, 180 men with rifles and 190 horses fell into the hands of the enemy. From the above account it will be seen at once that the surrender must have been intentional, for it is inconceivable that 180 men would surrender a strong position to an equal force with practically no resistance unless by prearrangement."

This, of course, caused a big stink at the time and questions were asked as to where the loyalty of these men lay. In another account, this time in the St. James Gazette of November 11, 1901, the following was written,

“On September 28 Smuts was in the vicinity of Cradock. He had crossed the railway near Sheldon with Colonel Gorringe in pursuit. He was moving rapidly south, three of his men, a day or two later, surrendered at Bedford. By October 1st he was near enough to Somerset East, south of Cradock, for the District Mounted Troops to go out, get upon his spoor and capture five men. A small commando under one Botha, from the Cradock district had joined him. At dawn on October 3rd Gorringe attacked Smuts and Bouwers joint commando, and killed three. Smuts was headed north again, towards Darrinton, and on October 6th he seems to have captured a small party of the Somerset East District Mounted Troops at a place called Doornbosch. How many men he captured has not been stated. However he was not kept moving north for very long. He and Bouwers separated.”

It would be unprofitable to speculate as to where the loyalties of Fick and his comrades lay. They had taken an oath of allegiance to the Crown and that was that.

The war over Fick returned to his farming pursuits on the farm Buffelsfontein outside Somerset East. On 25 April 1906 and at the age of 27 he entered the marital estate with Mary Emma Hiscock in the Wesleyan Church in the town – his sister, Debora Elizabeth was a witness to the nuptials. The couple were, over the period of many years, to have three children – Manfred born on 17 May 1907; Lorna Letitia born on 22 May 1917 and Kenneth Samuel born on 30 September 1921.

Fick passed away at the age of 76 on 14 August 1956.

Thank You Rory.......

Have a Somerset East DMT and now know their story......

Mike

The mass surrender in October 1901 was subject to a Court of Enquiry published in WO108/372 Official Surrenders. They were not exonerated, given this it is surprising Kitchener allowed their medals.

Thank you Meurig

His name was Bareath J Botha according to FMP but it could be a corruption of his proper name as there are no records in the SA archives which correspond with that spelling.

Do you have knowledge of the 5 officers and 70 mens' names that were not exonerated Meurig?

Rory

Hello Rory

From the medal rolls I have the names of two others tried and sentenced - Trprs Alexander Allwright and BA Oliphant. The medals for all three sentenced were returned to Woolwich.

None of the men captured are listed in the casualty rolls.

There are 252 men for the Somerset East DMT, but we only know one who was captured: Cpt Thornton, Cape Police.

Regards
Meurig

I had a good look at the medal rolls and saw the same as you Meurig. Botha's christian name had been corrupted - it;'s Barend J.

I would love to know if my man Fick was one of the 70 who surrendered but, just like the South Lancs at Spioenkop, there is no way of knowing who was there unless something comes to light.

Regards

Rory